Career Advanced – Upgrading Skills, Networking & Shattering The Glass Ceiling

In January 2003, a group of proactive female business leaders from an array of different energy professions came together to create Calgary Women in Energy (CWIE), a non-profit membership society dedicated to promoting, supporting, and empowering women in the energy sector of Calgary, Alberta.

It has become a notable trend that for those individuals lucky enough to obtain oil and gas careers, the journey is far from over. Because of ever-changing extraction methods and technologies, petroleum professionals realized they needed to work hard to stay current with emerging trends. Members of Calgary Women in Energy see the importance of professionals seeking to attend pertinent classes, seminars, and workshops on a regular basis to gain updated knowledge of the industry.

Continuing education is important for oil and gas careers. Many employers enforce a requirement that workers attend a set amount of classes for professional development. Those who don’t continue their education are at a disadvantage. They could be passed by for promotions and may be unable to obtain new positions within their company or the petroleum industry as a whole.

Unfortunately for some, access to these programs can be difficult due to financial and time restraints. In 2012, the Calgary Women in Energy, in partnership with Suncor Energy, developed an Oil and Gas 101 Short Course series to help members gain new skills and knowledge to assist in the advancement of their career.

“While there are many education options out there, we believe we have identified an area that will supplement formal training programs. By introducing and reinforcing basic principles over a period of time, people new to the industry will be better equipped in oil and gas fundamentals. The series (Oil & Gas 101) has been run as a non-profit effort during the free time of the participants. This allows those who may not have company sponsorship an opportunity to learn”.

– Judy Frame, Team Lead and Senior Advisor with Suncor Energy.

Judy Frame volunteers her time to teach Oil & Gas 101. Her generous desire to share what she has learned in her career has given confidence and optimism to the energy community. Pursuant to her efforts, Calgary Women in Energy has offered training to hundreds of oil and gas professionals in the three years they have run the program. Their course methods include large group luncheons in an interactive classroom setting. Unlike many short courses that can be very expensive and can take days or weeks to complete, the Oil & Gas 101 courses were held at no cost, over the lunch hour, and covered topics ranging from Geology, Exploration, Drilling, Completions, Production, Facilities, Transportation, Marketing, Refining, and Asset Management.

Sending employees to training opportunities, or bringing opportunities into the company, will infuse a business with new ideas and creative ways of solving old problems. Sometimes, just getting employees out of the day-to-day grind of their everyday work schedule is enough to boost energy and encourage employees to recommit to their jobs and the company.

Learning new skills and interacting with new and different people has a direct impact on the productivity and development of the work environment. Members who have signed up for the CWIE Oil & Gas 101 courses have been provided with the opportunity to learn new industry information in combination with the opportunity to network and rub elbows with some of the industry’s leading professionals.

“The Oil & Gas 101 sessions are actually what drew me to Calgary Women in Energy in the first place. I was keen to learn more about the industry to better serve my clients and was thrilled when I found out about the lunch hour sessions. The speaker is fantastic, and it’s been an invaluable experience in helping to expand my knowledge on the energy sector.”

– Kelly Trotter, Staffing Consultant for Klopp Richards & Associates | CWIE member.

Training does not need to be expensive or last several days in order to be worthwhile. The point of these short courses is to give individuals a good  overall understanding of how all the pieces work together to contribute to the whole big picture of the oil and gas industry.

For more information about Calgary Women in Energy, or to become a member, please visit www.cwie.org.

By Kristy Hysert
Director Of Community Involvement
For Calgary Women In Energy